U.S. patent application number 11/366362 was filed with the patent office on 2006-09-07 for document processing device, and document processing control method thereof.
This patent application is currently assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha. Invention is credited to Toru Yoshida.
Application Number | 20060200867 11/366362 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36945539 |
Filed Date | 2006-09-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060200867 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yoshida; Toru |
September 7, 2006 |
Document processing device, and document processing control method
thereof
Abstract
A document processing device comprises, an authentication unit
adapted to authenticate the user, a history information storage
unit adapted to store history information indicating that document
data was processed after the document data was stored in a document
management server, the history information including identification
information for identifying the document data was processed after
the document data was stored in a document management server, a
user access right judgment unit adapted to judge whether or not the
authenticated user has an access right to each document data
corresponding to the identification information included in the
history information, a display unit adapted to display information
for enable a user to select the document data to which the
authenticated user has the access right from among the document
data corresponding to the identification information included in
the history information, and a processing unit adapted to process
to the document data selected by the user.
Inventors: |
Yoshida; Toru; (Bunkyo-ku,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROSSI, KIMMS & McDOWELL LLP.
P.O. BOX 826
ASHBURN
VA
20146-0826
US
|
Assignee: |
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Ohta-ku
JP
|
Family ID: |
36945539 |
Appl. No.: |
11/366362 |
Filed: |
March 2, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
726/27 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 2221/2141 20130101;
G06F 2221/2101 20130101; G06F 21/6209 20130101; H04L 63/102
20130101; H04L 63/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
726/027 |
International
Class: |
H04L 9/32 20060101
H04L009/32 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 4, 2005 |
JP |
2005-061333 |
Claims
1. A document processing device comprises: an authentication unit
adapted to authenticate the user, a history information storage
unit adapted to store history information indicating that document
data was processed after the document data was stored in a document
management server, the history information including identification
information for identifying the document data was processed after
the document data was stored in a document management server, a
user access right judgment unit adapted to judge whether or not the
authenticated user has an access right to each document data
corresponding to the identification information included in the
history information, a display unit adapted to display information
for enable a user to select the document data to which the
authenticated user has the access right from among the document
data corresponding to the identification information included in
the history information, and a processing unit adapted to process
to the document data selected by the user.
2. A document processing device according to claim 1, wherein said
user access right judgment unit comprises a document ID
transmission unit adapted to transmit a document ID of the document
data which are included in the history information and a user ID of
the authenticated user, to said document management server, and a
received document ID judgment unit adapted to, in a case where the
document ID is received from said document management server, judge
that the document data of the document ID is the document data to
which the authenticated user has the access right, and said
document server comprises a user access right setting unit adapted
to set the access right with respect to each document ID of the
document data to be managed and with respect to each user ID of the
user to which the authentication is possible, and a document ID
transmission unit adapted to transmit, from among the document ID's
transmitted by said document ID transmission unit, the document ID
that the access right has been set with respect to the user ID
transmitted by said document ID transmission unit to said client
device.
3. A document processing device according to claim 1, wherein the
history information includes information concerning a name of the
document data was processed, information concerning a storage
destination of the document data in said document management
server, and information concerning date and time when the document
data was processed, and in case of displaying a list of the
document data, said display unit displays the information included
in the history information together with the list.
4. A document processing device according to claim 1, wherein the
process is a print process for printing the document data managed
by said document management server, and said document management
system further comprises an update unit adapted to update the
history information when the print process ends.
5. A document processing device according to claim 4, wherein the
history information further includes information concerning a print
format set in case of executing the print process, and said
processing unit sets the print format of the document data selected
by the user to be the print format of the document data selected by
the user and included in the history information.
6. A document processing device according to claim 1, wherein the
process is a scan registration process for acquiring image data by
scanning an original and registering the acquired image data as the
document data to be managed by said document management server, and
said document management system further comprises an update unit
adapted to update the history information when the scan
registration process ends.
7. A document processing control method comprising: an
authentication step of causing the client device to authenticate
the user; a history information storage step of causing the client
device to store history information indicating that document data
was processed after the document data was stored in a document
management server, the history information including identification
information for identifying the document data was processed after
the document data was stored in a document management server; a
user access right judgment step of causing the client device to
judge whether or not the authenticated user has an access right to
each document data corresponding to the identification information
included in the history information; a display step of causing the
client device to display information for enable a user to select
the document data to which the authenticated user has the access
right from among the document data corresponding to the
identification information included in the history information, and
a processing step of causing the client device to process to the
document data selected by the user.
8. A storage medium which stores a program for causing a computer
to execute a document processing control method, said program
comprising: an authentication module of causing the client device
to authenticate the user; a history information storage module of
causing the client device to store history information indicating
that document data was processed after the document data was stored
in a document management server, the history information including
identification information for identifying the document data was
processed after the document data was stored in a document
management server; a user access right judgment module of causing
the client device to judge whether or not the authenticated user
has an access right to each document data corresponding to the
identification information included in the history information; a
display module of causing the client device to display information
for enable a user to select the document data to which the
authenticated user has the access right from among the document
data corresponding to the identification information included in
the history information, and a processing module of causing the
client device to process to the document data selected by the user.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a document management
system, a document processing device, a document processing control
method thereof, and a program for executing the document processing
control method. More particularly, the present invention relates to
the document management system and the document processing device
which execute a document process by using document process history
information, and the document processing control method
thereof.
[0003] 2. Related Background Art
[0004] In recent years, as document data have been digitized
widely, a document management system which consists of a document
management server for managing the document data, and various
client devices such as a PC (personal computer), a printer and the
like has come to be used. Thus, a user can access the document
management server from the client device such as the PC, the
printer or the like, and, by using the client device, execute
document processes such as document registration, document
acquirement, document update, document print and the like with
respect to the document management server.
[0005] On the other hand, as the conventional art, the printer
which comprises the storage unit for storing, every time a print
job is executed, history information of the print job and PDL
(page-description language) data corresponding to the relevant
history information is disclosed (for example, Japanese Patent
Application Laid-Open No. 2003-330638). In this printer, if a user
indicates the print job by selecting one of the history information
stored in the storage unit, the PDL data corresponding to the
selected history information is read, whereby the read PDL data can
be reprinted.
[0006] Therefore, if the relevant printer is applied to the client
device in the document management system, it is thought that a
trouble that a user specifies desired data from among a huge amount
of document data managed by the document management server and then
designates the specified desired data as print data can be
reduced.
[0007] However, the relevant printer comprising the storage unit
for storing the history information is merely to simplify the
reprint process to be executed in response to the operation by an
individual user. In other words, the relevant printer is merely
corresponding to a local environment. For this reason, even where
the relevant printer is directly applied to the client device, when
one user (called a user 1) executes the print process with respect
to the document data that the user 1 wishes to conceal from another
user (called a user 2), there is a problem that the user 2 can
acquire the printed matter corresponding to the relevant document
data on the basis of the history information and thus the contents
of the relevant document data leak.
[0008] The above problem can be solved by enabling only the user 1
who indicated the print process to actually execute the print
process based on the history information. However, even in that
case, there is a problem that, if the user 1 executes the print
process for, e.g., shared document data, the user 2 cannot reprint
the relevant shared document data based on the history
information.
[0009] Further, since the above conventional art discloses the
method by which the document data subjected to the print process in
the past is used for the reprint process, even where a document
process other than the print process was executed in the past, the
document data concerning the relevant document process cannot be
used for the reprint process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a document
processing device which can, in a case where a user wishes to
execute, by designating desired document data, a document process
based on the designated document data, reduce a trouble of
specifying the desired document data from among a huge amount of
document data and conceal the data to which the user does not have
an access right, a document processing method which is applicable
to the document management system and the document processing
device, and a program which is used to execute the document
processing method.
[0011] To achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the
present invention, there is provided a document processing device
comprises, an authentication unit adapted to authenticate the user,
a history information storage unit adapted to store history
information indicating that document data was processed after the
document data was stored in a document management server, the
history information including identification information for
identifying the document data was processed after the document data
was stored in a document management server, a user access right
judgment unit adapted to judge whether or not the authenticated
user has an access right to each document data corresponding to the
identification information included in the history information, a
display unit adapted to display information for enable a user to
select the document data to which the authenticated user has the
access right from among the document data corresponding to the
identification information included in the history information, and
a processing unit adapted to process to the document data selected
by the user.
[0012] Other features, objects and advantages of the present
invention will be apparent from the following description when
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like
reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout
the figures thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of the specification, illustrate the embodiment
of the present invention and, together with the description, serve
to explain the principles of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the
constitution of the document management system according to the
embodiment of the present invention;
[0015] FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C are diagrams showing the information to
be managed in the DB (database) unit of the document management
server, and, more specifically, FIG. 2A shows the document
information, FIG. 2B shows the access right information, and FIG.
2C shows the user information;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a history information
storage process executed by the document management system shown in
FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a reprint process
executed by the document management system shown in FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the login screen to be displayed
on the information display unit shown in FIG. 1;
[0019] FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the procedure of a document
list generation process executed by the print device shown in FIG.
1;
[0020] FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the procedure of an access
right information transmission process in the step S603 shown in
FIG. 6;
[0021] FIG. 8 is the diagram showing, in a case where the print
operation is selected by a user, the display screen to be displayed
after the "DESIGNATE FROM LIST" button is depressed on the document
operation screen of the information display unit shown in FIG.
1;
[0022] FIGS. 9A and 9B are diagrams for explaining history
information managed by the history management unit shown in FIG. 1,
and, more specifically, FIG. 9A shows the history information
before update, and FIG. 9B shows the history information after
update;
[0023] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing, in the case where the print
operation is selected by the user, the display screen to be
displayed after the "DESIGNATE FROM RECENTLY USED DOCUMENTS" button
is depressed on the document operation screen of the information
display unit shown in FIG. 1;
[0024] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a modification of the
history information storage process to be executed by the document
management system shown in FIG. 1;
[0025] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing, in the case where the scan
operation is selected by the user, the display screen to be
displayed after the "DESIGNATE FROM LIST" button is depressed on
the document operation screen of the information display unit shown
in FIG. 1; and
[0026] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a modification of the history
information shown in FIG. 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0027] Hereinafter, the preferable embodiment of the present
invention will be explained in detail with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
[0028] FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the
constitution of the document management system according to the
embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] In FIG. 1, a document management system 1 consists of a
print device 110, a PC 140 and a document management server 120.
Here, the print device 110 acts as the client device which is
operated by a user to execute a communication process for
exchanging data through a network 130. Further, a general network
such as a LAN (local area network), the Internet or the like is
used as the network 130. Also, a physical cable such as a USB
(Universal Serial Bus) or the like may be used as the network
130.
[0030] The print device 110 consists of a scan execution unit 116
for reading an original, a print execution unit (document
processing means) 115 for executing a print process, an information
display unit (display means) 114 for showing information to the
user and also accepting requests from the user, an information
processing unit 113 for generating the information to be shown to
the user by the information display unit 114 and also analyzing the
request accepted from the user, a communication unit 112 for
executing communication with the document management server 120
through the network 130, and a history information management unit
(history information storage means) 111 for managing the history
information of the operations executed in the print device 110.
[0031] The document management server 120 consists of a
communication unit 124 for executing a communication process with
the print device 110 through the network 130, a processing unit 125
for receiving an access right request and a document acquirement
request later explained with reference to FIG. 4 from the print
device 110, analyzing the contents of these requests and executing
the process according to the analyzed request in the document
management server 120, a DB unit 126 for storing document
information 121, access right information 122 and user information
123 later explained with reference to FIGS. 2A to 2C, and a
conversion unit 127 for converting the managed document data into
the data capable of being printed by the print device 110.
[0032] Incidentally, it is explained in FIG. 1 that the document
management server 120 and the print device 110 are independent from
each other. However, the document management server 120 and the
print device 110 may be provided integrally. In such a case, one
document processing device will consist of the history information
management unit 111, the information processing unit 113, the
information display unit 114, the print execution unit 115, the
scan execution unit 116, the processing unit 125, the conversion
unit 127 and the DB unit 126.
[0033] FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C are diagrams showing the information to
be managed in the DB unit 126 of the document management server 120
shown in FIG. 1.
[0034] As shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, the DB unit 126 stores the
document information 121, the access right information 122 and the
user information 123.
[0035] The document information 121 is the information concerning
the document data to be managed by the document management server
120. More specifically, the document information 121 is the
information for managing the document ID information representing a
unique value with respect to a document, the document name
representing the name of the document data, and the storage
location information representing the location where the document
data is stored, in the mutually associated state. Incidentally,
although only the document ID information, the document name and
the storage location information are shown by way of example in the
present embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to
them. That is, another information concerning the document may be
managed in association with the document ID information, the
document name and the storage location information.
[0036] The access right information 122 is the information
representing presence/absence of the user's access right for the
document data managed by the document management server 120. More
specifically, the access right information 122 is the information
for managing the user ID information, the document ID information
and the access right information "Read (reading)/Write (generating
and changing)/Delete (deleting)/Nothing (no access right)" in the
mutually associated state.
[0037] The user information 123 is the information representing the
user who can use the document management system 1. More
specifically, the user information 123 is the information for
managing the user ID information representing a unique value with
respect to the user, the user name information representing a name
of the user, and the login ID information representing a login ID
of the user, and the password information representing a password
of the user, in the mutually associated state.
[0038] Hereinafter, a case where, after a user A printed a document
1 and a document 2 by the print device 110, a user B prints the
document 1 by using the history information of the print operation
by the user A will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and
4.
[0039] FIG. 3 is the diagram for explaining a history information
storage process which is executed by the document management system
1.
[0040] In FIG. 3, the print device 110 first displays the document
processing menu on the information display unit 114. Then, in a
case where the user A selects the print process from the displayed
document processing menu, the print device 110 displays a login
screen 500 (FIG. 5) on the information display unit 114 to request
the user A to input the login ID and the password.
[0041] If the login ID and the password are input by the user A,
the print device 110 transmits a login request consisting of the
input login ID and the input password to the document management
server 120 through the communication unit 112.
[0042] Then, if the login request from the print device 110 is
received through the communication unit 124, the document
management server 120 causes the processing unit 125 to check the
user information managed in the user information 123 with the login
ID and the password both included in the received login request. If
the check by the document management server 120 succeeds, then the
document management server 120 notifies the print device 110
through the communication unit 124 that the user A has been logged
in.
[0043] Subsequently, if the notification that the user A has been
logged in is received from the document management server 120, the
print device 110 displays a document operation screen 800 shown in
FIG. 8. After then, if the request (server document request) to
designate the print document from the document data of the document
information 121 managed by the document management server 120 is
issued from the user A on the document operation screen 800 (step
S301), the print device 110 requests the document management server
120 to transmit the list including the server documents (step
S302). More specifically, if a "DESIGNATE FROM LIST" button 801
shown in FIG. 8 is selected by the user, the print device 110
detects that the document designation from the list is
requested.
[0044] If the server document list request is received, the
document management server 120 generates the data representing the
list of the document data capable of being accessed by the
logged-in user A, by using the access right information 122 and the
document information 121. Then, the document management server 120
transmits the generated data to the print device 110 as a server
document list.
[0045] If the print device 110 acquires the server document list
form the document management server 120 (step S303), the acquired
server document list is converted into the data (that is, a folder
tree 802 and a list screen 803) capable of being displayed by the
information display unit 114, and the document in the converted
data is shown by using the information display unit 114 so as to be
selectable by the user (step S304). Then, if the documents (that
is, the document 1 and the document 2 in the present embodiment)
are designated in the shown list by the user A (step S305), the
print device 110 requests the document management server 120 to
acquire the document 1 and the document 2 through the communication
unit 112 (step S306). More specifically, if a "DECIDE" button 804
shown in FIG. 8 is selected by the user, the print device 110
detects that the document acquisition request is issued.
[0046] If the document acquisition request is received from the
print device 110, the document management server 120 acquires the
document 1 and the document 2 in the document information 121.
Then, the acquired information is converted by the conversion unit
127 into the data capable of being printed, and the converted data
is then transmitted to the print device 110.
[0047] If the data representing the documents 1 and 2 capable of
being printed is acquires from the document management server 120
(step S307), the print device 110 displays the print format setting
screen. Then, the received data is printed by the print execution
unit 115 in the document print format selected by the user based on
the displayed contents (step S308). If the print ends, as shown in
FIG. 9A, the print device 110 registers the information concerning
the printed document data and the date and time when the print was
executed (that is, the document ID information and the operation
date and time information managed by the document management server
120) to the history information management unit 111 as the history
information (step S309).
[0048] In the explanation of FIG. 3, the print device 110 prints
the document data selected by the user A. However, the present
invention is not limited to this. That is, it is possible to attach
the document data selected by the user A to an electronic mail and
then transmit the relevant electronic mail to a predetermined
electronic mail address, and it is also possible to transmit the
document data selected by the user A through facsimile.
[0049] FIG. 4 is the diagram for explaining a reprint process which
is executed by the document management system 1.
[0050] In FIG. 4, in the first instance, the print device 110
executes the process same as the login process for the user A shown
in FIG. 3, whereby a user B is logged in. Thus, the document
operation screen 800 as shown in FIG. 10 is displayed on the
information display unit 114. Then, when a request (history
information request) to designate the print document from the list
of the recently used documents is input by the user B on the
document operation screen 800 through the print device 110 (YES in
step S401), the process advances to a step S402. Here, if a
"DESIGNATE FROM RECENTLY USED DOCUMENTS" button 1002 shown in FIG.
8 is selected by the user, the print device 110 detects that the
history information is requested. Incidentally, in the present
embodiment, it is assumed that only the print operation histories
of the documents 1 and 2 by the user A exist in the history
information.
[0051] In the step S402, the print device 110 requests the access
right information to the document management server 120. Here, it
should be noted that the access right information represents, from
among the document data corresponding to the document ID included
in the history information, to which document data the user B has
the access right. After then, the access right information
generated by the document management server 120 is acquired in
response to such a request (step S403), and the list of the
documents to which the user B has the access right is generated
based on the acquired access right information. Incidentally, the
process from the step S402 to the document list generation will be
explained in detail with respect to a later-described document list
generation process shown in FIG. 6.
[0052] Next, the print device 110 causes the information display
unit 114 to show the list (a list screen 1001 shown in FIG. 10) of
the documents capable of being reprinted, based on the generated
history information (step S404). Here, it should be noted that the
documents on the list screen 1001 are displayed so as to be
selectable by the user, and only the document 1 is displayed on the
list screen 1001 in the present embodiment.
[0053] If one of the documents included in the shown list (that is,
the document 1 in the present embodiment) is designated by the user
B (step S405), the print device 110 requests, through the
communication unit 112, the document management server 120 to
acquire the document 1 by using the document ID (step S406). More
specifically, if the "DECIDE" button 804 shown in FIG. 10 is
selected by the user, the print device 110 detects that the
document acquisition request is issued.
[0054] If the document acquisition request from the print device
110 is received by the document management server 120, the document
data of the document 1 in the document information 121 is acquired
by the processing unit 125. Then, the acquired information is
converted by the conversion unit 127 into the data capable of being
printed, and the converted data is then transmitted to the print
device 110.
[0055] If the data representing the document 1 capable of being
printed is acquires from the document management server 120 (step
S407), the print device 110 displays the print format setting
screen. Then, the received data is printed by the print execution
unit 115 in the document print format selected by the user based on
the displayed contents (step S408).
[0056] According to the processes shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the
case where the history information is requested from the user B
(step S401) after the history information was registered in the
processes as shown in FIG. 3, the print device 110 acquires the
access right information from the document management server 120
(steps S402 and S403). Then, the list of the document data, to
which the user B has the access right, from among the document data
(document 1 and document 2) corresponding to the identification
information included in the history information is generated based
on the acquired access right information, and the generated list is
shown to the user (step S404). Subsequently, when the user B
designates the document 1 from the shown list (step S405), the
print data of the document 1 is acquired from the document
management server 120 (steps S406 and S407), and the acquired print
data is actually printed (step S408). Thus, even if the document
management server 120 has to manage a huge amount of document data
when the user B executes the print process by using the print
device 110, it is possible to reduce a trouble of designating as
the print data one document data from among the huge amount of
document data.
[0057] Further, the print device 110 does not display on the list
screen 1001 the document 2 to which the user B does not have the
access right. Thus, it is possible to conceal, from among the
document data to be managed by the document management server 120,
the document data (the document 2) to which the user B does not
have the access right. As a result, since it is possible to inhibit
the user B from indicating the print of the document 2, it is
possible to increase security and it is also possible to prevent
occurrence of operation errors.
[0058] Moreover, if the print ends in the step S408, as shown in
FIG. 9B, the operation date and time information of the print
operation history information for the document 1 managed by the
history information management unit 111 is updated from the
information representing the date and time when the print process
is executed by the user A to the information representing the date
and time when the reprint process is executed by the user B. After
the information was updated, the list of the documents capable of
being subjected to the reprint process based on the history
information is updated. Thus, the user can always execute the print
process based on the latest history information.
[0059] Furthermore, when the list is shown to the user B in the
step S404, it is possible to simultaneously display the name of the
document data to which the document process was executed in the
past, the storage destination of the relevant document data in the
document management server 120, and the date and time information
representing the date and time when the relevant document process
was executed. Thus, it is possible to grasp or comprehend all at
once the contents of the document data that the authenticated user
can designate as the print data.
[0060] Moreover, in the present embodiment, since the access right
settings that the plural client devices including the print device
110 request to change are updated in a lump by the document
management server 120, it is possible to instantly reflect such
update in the print process based on the history information,
whereby it is possible to easily mange the whole system.
[0061] In the explanation of FIG. 4, the document data selected by
the user B is printed by the print device 110. However, the present
invention is not limited to this. That is, it is possible to attach
the document data selected by the user B to an electronic mail and
then transmit the relevant electronic mail to a predetermined
electronic mail address, and it is also possible to transmit the
document data selected by the user through facsimile.
[0062] FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the procedure of the document
list generation process to be executed by the print device 110
shown in FIG. 1.
[0063] In FIG. 6, it is first judged whether or not the history
information exists in the history information management unit 111
(step S601). Then, if it is judged that the history information
exists in the history information management unit 111, it requests,
to the document management server 120 through the communication
unit 112, the acquisition of the access right information of the
user B for the history information of all the documents executed in
the past with respect to the document management server 120 (step
S602). At that time, all the document ID's and the user ID of the
user B stored as the history information are simultaneously
transmitted to the document management server 120.
[0064] If the request of the acquisition of the access right
information is received through the communication unit 124, the
document management server 120 executes a later-described access
right information transmission process shown in FIG. 7 to transmit
the access right information including the document ID of the
document to which the user B has the access right to the print
device 110 (step S603).
[0065] If the access right information is received from the
document management server 120, it is judged by the print device
110 whether or not the check of presence/absence of the access
right of the user B to the history information of all the document
executed for the document management server 120 in the past ends
(step S604). More specifically, if the comparison of the access
right information received from the document management server 120
with all the document ID's of the documents included in the history
information ends, it is judged that the check ends.
[0066] If it is judged in the step S604 that the check does not
end, it is further judged whether or not the user B has the access
right to the document to which the check does not end (step S605).
More specifically, if the document ID of the document to which the
check is currently executed is included in the access right
information received from the document management server 120, it is
judged that the user B has the access right to the relevant
document. Meanwhile, if the document ID is not included in the
access right information, it is judged that the user B does not
have the access right to the relevant document.
[0067] Then, after the step S605, the document name and the storage
location information are directly added to the document to which
the user B does not have the access right, or the document name and
the storage location information are added to the document list of
the document to which the user B has the access right (step S606).
Subsequently, the processes in the step S604 and the subsequent
steps are repeated.
[0068] If it is judged in the step S604 that the check ends, the
document list is sorted with the designated item (step S607), and
the document list generation process ends.
[0069] FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the procedure of the access
right information transmission process in the step S603 shown in
FIG. 6.
[0070] Here, it should be noted that the access right information
transmission process is executed by the document management server
120.
[0071] In FIG. 7, if the request of the step S602 to acquire the
access right information of the user B is received from the print
device 110 by the processing unit 125 (YES in a step S701), it is
then judged whether or not the check of presence/absence of the
access right of the user B to all the documents ends (step S702).
More specifically, if the comparison of the access right
information 122 with all the documents of the document ID
transmitted from the print device 110 when the request of the step
S602 is issued ends, it is judged that the check ends. In the
present embodiment, since the history information includes only the
histories of the print operations of the document 1 and the
document 2, it is judged in the step S702 whether or not the check
of presence/absence of the access right to the document 1 and the
document 2 ends.
[0072] If it is judged in the step S702 that the check does not
end, the information representing whether or not the user B has the
access right to the document to which the check does not end is
acquired (step S703), and the processes in the step S702 and the
subsequent steps are repeated. In the acquisition process, if the
user ID of the user B is included in the user ID of the document in
the access right information 122, it is judged that the user B has
the access right. Meanwhile, if the user ID of the user B is not
included in the user ID of the document in the access right
information 122, it is judged that the user B does not have the
access right.
[0073] Then, when the check ends in the step S702, the document ID
and the storage destination information thereof are acquired with
respect to the document to which the information to which the user
B has the access right is acquired in the step S703, and the access
right information including the acquired various information data
is generated (step S704). In the present embodiment, since it is
set that the user B has the access right only to the document 1,
the document management server 120 generates the access right
information including the document ID of the document 1 and the
storage destination information thereof.
[0074] After then, the generated access right information is
transmitted from the communication unit 124 to the print device 110
(step S705), and the access right information transmission process
ends.
[0075] According to the processes shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, as well
as the access right request, the print device 110 transmits the
document ID and the user ID of the user A included in the history
information to the document management server 120 (step S602), and,
through the access right information transmission process, the
print device 110 receives the access right information including
the document ID from the document management server 120 (step
S603). In this instance, it is judged that the user B has the
access right to the document data of the relevant document ID (YES
in step S605). On the other hand, as well as the reception of the
access right request from the print device 110 in the step S602,
the document management server 120 receives the document ID (step
S701). Then, in the document management server 120, the access
right information including the document ID of the document data
that the access right is set to the transmitted user ID based on
the access right information 122 included in the received document
ID is generated (step S704), and the generated access right
information is transmitted to the print device 110 (step S705).
Thus, it is possible on the side of the print device 110 to surely
judge to which of the document data corresponding to the document
ID included in the history information the user B has the access
right. Further, if there is the document to which the user B has
the access right from among the documents included in the history
information (YES in step S605), the document name of the relevant
document and the information of the storage location of the
relevant document are added to the document list of the documents
capable of being reprinted (step S606). Thus, it is possible to
surely conceal from the user B the document data that the user A
does not wish to make the user B to know the contents.
[0076] FIG. 8 is the diagram showing the document operation screen
to be displayed in the step S304 of FIG. 3.
[0077] More specifically, the screen shown in FIG. 8 is the screen
which is displayed in the step S304 after the server document is
requested by the user in the step S301 by selecting the "DESIGNATE
FROM LIST" button 801 on the document operation screen 800 with the
user.
[0078] On the screen shown in FIG. 8, if a folder 805 in which the
desired document data have been held is selected by the user in a
leftward folder tree 802, the list of the document data held in the
selected folder 805 is displayed on a center list screen 803. Then,
the user A selects the document corresponding to the desired data
(document 1 and document 2) from the document data list displayed
on the list screen 803.
[0079] For example, if the folder which contains the data desired
by the user A exists on the tenth layer (hierarchy), it is
necessary to open the relevant layer by selecting the folders of
the folder tree 802 ten times. Further, since the number of
document data capable of being displayed on the list screen 803 at
a time is limited, if a large number of document data are held in
one folder, it is necessary to browse the document data in the
relevant folder by scrolling them. Furthermore, if the user does
not correctly know or grasp in which folder the desired data has
been stored, the user A has to search various folders displayed in
the folder tree 802. In such a case, the user A has to open the
layers by selecting ten or more folders.
[0080] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the document operation screen
which is displayed in the step S404 of FIG. 4.
[0081] More specifically, the screen shown in FIG. 10 is the screen
to be displayed in the process of the step S404 after the user
requests the history information in the step S401 of FIG. 4 by
selecting the "DESIGNATE FROM RECENTLY USED DOCUMENTS" button 1002
on the document operation screen 800.
[0082] On the center list screen 1001 shown in FIG. 10, the
document list generated based on the access right information and
the history information is displayed.
[0083] Consequently, even if the user B does not operate or handle
the folder tree 802 and the list screen 803 (FIG. 8), the names of
the desired documents are displayed on the list screen, the user B
can easily execute the document selection.
[0084] Typically, the user interface of the device such as the
print device 110 is smaller in size than that of the PC, whereby it
is difficult for the user to operate or handle it. For this reason,
if it is possible to decrease the user's operations even by one, it
is possible to make the user interface significantly easy-usable
for the user.
[0085] Next, a case where, after the user A scanned the documents 1
and 2 by the print device 110, the user B prints the document 1 by
using the history information of the scan operation will be
explained with reference to FIG. 11.
[0086] FIG. 11 is the diagram for explaining a modification of the
history information storage process to be executed by the document
management system 1 shown in FIG. 1.
[0087] In FIG. 11, the print device 110 first displays the document
processing menu on the information display unit 114. Then, if a
user C scans new document data in the displayed document processing
menu to request the process to be registered to the document
management server 120 (scan registration request) (step S1101), the
process same as the login process to the user A shown in FIG. 3 is
executed. Subsequently, if the user C is logged for the document
management sever 120, a document operation screen 1200 as shown in
FIG. 12 is displayed on the information display unit 114.
[0088] After then, the storage destination folder ("FIRST BUSINESS
SECTION" folder) in a folder tree 1201 disposed at the left on the
document operation screen 1200 is selected by the user, the
document name ("DOCUMENT 1") of the new document acquired by the
scan is input by the user to a registration file name description
section 1202, and the "DECIDE" button is then depressed by the
user. Thus, the print device 110 scans a paper original set on the
scan execution unit 116 (step S1102), converts the scanned data
into the electronic data by the information processing unit 113,
and then transmits the scanned electronic data, the document name
and the storage folder information from the communication unit 112
to the document management server 120 (step S1103).
[0089] Subsequently, the document management server 120 registers
the received electronic data to the document information 121 as the
folder destination and the document name both designated by the
user on the document operation screen 1200. At this point, since
the access right to the document 1 is given only to the user A, the
information representing that the user A can access the document 1
is registered to the access right information 122. Further, when
the electronic data is registered to the document information 121,
the document ID information by which the registered document can be
uniquely specified is generated and registered together. When the
registration of document ends, the document management server 120
transmits the registration end notification, and the information
representing the registered document name and the document ID
issued at the time of registration to the print device 110.
[0090] If the registration end notification is received from the
document management server 120, the print device 110 registers the
registered document ID and the date and time when the registration
was executed to the history information management unit 111 as the
history of registration (step S1104). In addition, it should be
noted that the document 2 is registered in the manner same as
above.
[0091] After the above registration process ended, the user C
accesses the document management server 120 from the PC 140 to set
the access right to the registered documents 1 and 2 (step
S1105).
[0092] After then, a user D can print the document 1 based on the
history information of the scan registration process shown in FIG.
11, by executing the process same as the reprint process in FIG. 4
executed by the user B.
[0093] FIG. 3 is the diagram for explaining the history information
storage process which is executed by the document management system
1.
[0094] According to the processes shown in FIG. 11, after the
history information is newly added and registered through the
processes shown in FIG. 4 (step S1104), and if the access right of
the newly registered document is set by the PC 140 to the document
management server 120 (step S1105), then the print device 110 can
execute the print process same as that shown in FIG. 4 on the basis
of the operation or handling by the user D. Consequently, even if
the scan registration process was executed in the print device 110
in the past, it is possible to execute the print process based on
the history information thereof.
[0095] Likewise, after the shared document was registered from the
print device 110, if the access right to the shared document is set
to all the users of the relevant system, it is possible for other
users to easily execute the print by using the registered history
information.
[0096] Incidentally, it should be noted that the print format
setting information may be included in the information to be
managed as the history information. In the history information
storage process in this case, the print format information
designated by the user in the step S308 as shown in FIG. 13 is
included as the information to be stored as the history information
in the step S309 of FIG. 3. Further, in the reprint process to be
executed thereafter, the print format setting screen is not
displayed in the step S408 of FIG. 4, and the document data
designated by the user in the step S405 is printed with the print
format of the print format information included in the history
information with respect to the relevant document data.
[0097] Thus, since the print format of the document data which was
set in the past print process is set as the print format when the
reprint process of the relevant document data is executed based on
the history information, it is unnecessary for the user to set the
print format in the reprint process, whereby it is possible to more
simplify the user's operation.
[0098] Further, for example, in a case where the user who is
skilled in setting the print device 110 once executed the print
with the complicated print setting, it is then possible for another
user who is not skilled in setting the print format to easily
execute the reprint with the relevant complicated print setting
based on the history information.
[0099] Furthermore, it can be obviously understood that the object
of the present invention can be attained even in a case where a
storage medium (or a recording medium) storing therein the program
codes of software to achieve the functions of the above embodiment
is supplied to a system or a device, and thus the computer (or CPU,
MPU) in the system or the device reads and executes the program
codes stored in the medium.
[0100] In this case, the program codes themselves read out of the
storage medium achieve the functions of the above embodiment,
whereby the storage medium storing these program codes constitutes
the present invention.
[0101] Further, it can be obviously understood that the present
invention includes not only the case where the functions of the
above embodiment are achieved by executing the program codes read
by the computer, but also the case where an OS (operating system)
or the like running on the computer executes a part or all of the
actual processes based the instructions of the program codes and
thus the functions of the above embodiment are achieved by these
processes.
[0102] Furthermore, it can be obviously understood that the present
invention also includes a case where, after the program codes read
out of the storage medium are written into the memory of a function
expansion card inserted in the computer or the memory in a function
expansion unit connected to the computer, the CPU or the like
provided in the function expansion board or the function expansion
unit executes a part or all of the actual processes based on the
instructions of the program codes, and thus the functions of the
above embodiment are achieved by these processes.
[0103] Moreover, because the form of such a program is no object if
it has the actual function as the program to be achieved by the
computer, an object code, a program executed by an interpreter,
script data supplied to the OS, and the like may be included as the
program.
[0104] As the storage medium for supplying the program, for
example, a RAM, an NV-RAM, a floppy.TM. disk, an optical disk, a
magnetooptical disk, a CR-ROM, an MO, a CD-R, a CD-RW, a DVD
(DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD+RW), a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile
memory card, another ROM, or the can be used, if the relevant
medium can store the program. Alternatively, the relevant program
is supplied by downloading it from a not-shown another computer, a
database or the like connected to the Internet, a commercial
network, a local area network or the like.
[0105] This application claims priority from Japanese Patent
Application No. 2005-061333 filed Mar. 4, 2005, which is hereby
incorporated by reference herein.
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